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North Korea Raises The Specter Of Nuclear Strike Over US Aircraft Carrier’s Arrival In South Korea

Published

1 year ago

2023-10-13

SEOUL — On Friday, North Korea retaliated angrily against the United States aircraft carrier battle group’s arrival in South Korea, labeling the event a provocation and reiterating the threat of nuclear retaliation.

North Korea, buoyed by the progress of its nuclear arsenal, has progressively escalated its threats to employ said weapons in a preventative manner. However, the North remains militarily superior to South Korean and American forces, and experts believe it is improbable that it will first employ its nuclear weapons. However, it will continue to enhance its arsenal in the interim, avoiding a return to diplomacy.

A day after the USS Ronald Reagan and its battle group arrived at the southeastern port of Busan, South Korea, after a naval exercise conducted jointly by the United States, South Korea, and Japan in international waters earlier this week, the North issued its most recent nuclear threat.

According to South Korean defense officials, the carrier will be docked at Busan for five days by an agreement to increase the temporary deployments of potent U.S. military assets in response to the North’s expanding nuclear program.

The North’s official Korean Central News Agency referred to the aircraft carrier’s arrival on Friday as “an undisguised military provocation” that demonstrates the United States is carrying out its plan to attack North Korea. By its escalatory nuclear doctrine, which permits the preemptive deployment of nuclear weapons, it issued a threat of retaliation.

North Korea Raises The Specter Of Nuclear Strike Over US Aircraft Carrier’s Arrival In South Korea.

“The (North Korean) doctrine on the use of nuclear weapons, which has been made public, permits the implementation of essential action procedures in the event that it is subjected to a nuclear attack or believes one is imminently threatened with such an action,” the KCNA dispatch stated.

KCNA added, “North Korea’s “most potent and swift initial assault will target the United States’ ‘extended deterrence’ methods, which are employed to delude its adherents, as well as the bases of evil in the vicinity of the Korean peninsula.”

North Korea has maintained that it was compelled to develop nuclear weapons in response to alleged invasion schemes by the United States and South Korea. Its reactions to deploying U.S. strategic assets, including aircraft carriers, long-range bombers, nuclear-powered submarines, and U.S. joint training exercises with South Korean forces have frequently been vehement.

According to several experts, North Korea escalates tensions with its adversaries as a pretext to expand its nuclear arsenal and then uses the weapons as leverage to extract greater concessions from the outside world.

North Korea has conducted over a hundred missile tests since the previous year in retaliation for the increased military exercises between the United States and South Korea. Both Seoul and Washington assert that their exercises are defensive.

Last year, North Korea enacted a law that delineates an extensive array of circumstances under which it may employ nuclear weapons. Such circumstances include the assessment that its leadership is confronted with an impending hostile assault or the necessity to avert an unspecified calamitous crisis that endangers its people and government.

North Korea Raises The Specter Of Nuclear Strike Over US Aircraft Carrier’s Arrival In South Korea.

North Korea’s government, led by Kim Jong Un, would be overthrown if it attempted to employ nuclear weapons, as both the United States and South Korean governments have warned on multiple occasions.

North Korea additionally levied allegations against the United States on Friday, claiming that the rumor that Hamas utilized North Korean armaments in its recent assault on Israel is “baseless and false.” Before this, several news organizations—including Radio Free Asia, which the United States government funds—had reported on Hamas’s alleged utilization of North Korean munitions, including F-7 high-explosive fragmentation rockets.

“It should not be disregarded that the United States is intentionally associating the recent Middle East crisis with (North Korea) through its stereotypical smear campaign,” Ri Kwang Song, an expert on North Korean international affairs, told KCNA in an article attributed to him.

Without naming them, Ri stated that the rumors are being disseminated by “reptile press bodies and quasi-experts” affiliated with the U.S. administration.

SOURCE – (AP)

News

Emmanuel Macron Says France ‘Will Fight Hard’ To Keep Hit Netflix Show Emily In Paris In Paris

Published

4 hours ago

2024-10-12

Kiara Grace

Emmanuel Macron Says France ‘Will Fight Hard’, When Netflix’s blockbuster comedy “Emily in Paris” revealed at the end of season four that its lead heroine was leaving for Rome, many viewers were taken by surprise. French President Emmanuel Macron has now weighed in on the debate, stating that the country “will fight hard” to prevent the show from moving to the Italian capital.

“We will ask them to remain in Paris, ‘Emily in Paris'” in Rome does not make sense,” he told Variety in an interview published Wednesday.

The plot revolves around Emily Cooper, a 20-something American marketing executive played by Lily Collins, who relocates from Chicago to Paris for work and likes life in the French metropolis. It often ranks among Netflix’s most-watched episodes, and when the streaming service extended it for a fifth season, creator Darren Star stated that Emily will now “have a presence in Rome.”

Emmanuel Macron Says France ‘Will Fight Hard’ To Keep Hit Netflix Show Emily In Paris In Paris

Following the French president’s remarks, Rome’s mayor, Roberto Gualtieri, made a tongue-in-cheek response on X, saying, “Dear Emmanuel Macron, don’t worry: Emily is doing wonderful in Rome. And one can’t control the heart; let her decide.”

In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter Roma, Gualtieri said, “Doesn’t President Macron have more pressing matters to worry about?”

Gualtieri speculated: “I would like to believe, at least I would like to hope, that Macron was joking, because he ought to know that a production company like Netflix does not take orders from heads of state or make decisions based on political pressure.”

Macron has had a lengthy association with the show. His wife, Brigitte, appeared briefly in season four when Emily met her in a café and asked for a selfie. In the show’s fictitious reality, Brigitte publishes one of Emily’s social media postings from season one, in which she expressed surprise that the French word for vagina, le vagin, was male.

“I was super proud, and she was very happy to do it,” Macron said of his wife’s appearance. “It was only a few minutes, but I believe it was a very positive time for her. I think it’s beneficial for France’s image. Emily in Paris is extremely positive in terms of the country’s attractiveness. It’s an excellent initiative for my own business.”

Emmanuel Macron Says France ‘Will Fight Hard’ To Keep Hit Netflix Show Emily In Paris In Paris

While some French fans have criticized the show for relying on Parisian clichés and disregarding topics such as homelessness in the city, a survey undertaken by France’s National Cinema Center revealed that it has increased travel to the country’s capital in January.

According to the study, around one-tenth of travelers opted to visit France after watching a certain movie or series, and in 38% of those cases, “Emily in Paris” served as the motivation for a French trip.

However, despite his wife’s involvement with the performance and its impact on tourism, Macron has no plans to make his own cameo appearance.

“I’m less attractive than Brigitte,” he told Variety.

SOURCE | AP

News

Watchdog Claims That US Control Over Boeing Aircraft Output Is Insufficient.

Published

1 day ago

2024-10-11

Salman Ahmad

(VOR News) – On Friday, a government watchdog expressed its Boeing disapproval of the control that the government Aviation Administration (FAA) exercises over the production of airplanes by Boeing.

The watchdog stated that the FAA did not have an effective mechanism to monitor the individual manufacturing facilities of the United States company that manufactures airplanes.

The FAA monitors “discrepancies and noncompliances within the Boeing production line.”

This statement was made by the office of the inspector general of the transportation department. In addition, the report said that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not addressed the long-standing flaws in Boeing’s control of suppliers, despite the fact that these hazards have been recognized for a considerable amount of time.

Despite the fact that Boeing is unable to resolve a strike by its employees, struggles to regain the faith of the industry in some of its aircraft and systems as a result of a string of accidents and incidents, and was forced to bring back its spacecraft from the International Space Station while leaving its astronaut crew behind due to safety concerns, the company is continuing to face a significant number of challenges in the business world.

Following the explosion of a door plug that was lacking crucial fasteners on a new Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 airplane at 16,000 feet in January, the oversight of Boeing by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been subjected to greater scrutiny. This is because the door plug was missing essential fasteners.

In response to this incident, the Department of Justice has begun an investigation into possible criminal activity.

There were sixteen recommendations for enhancements included in the report. All of them were accepted by the Federal Aviation Administration, which remarked that it “is committed to continuously improving our oversight processes.” All of them were accepted.

According to a statement made by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the agency “is currently conducting a comprehensive, systemwide review of our oversight models.”

According to the findings of the investigation, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had not been successful in resolving charges of excessive pressure that were placed on Boeing staff who were acting on behalf of the FAA in a given amount of time.

The reason for this was that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had not enforced the requirements that Boeing furnish information that was adequate in relation to the claims.

In the absence of an instant response, Boeing did not offer a comment.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) “has yet to move from a reactive approach focused on addressing individual manufacturing issues to a more proactive, data-driven model to identify and address risk within Boeing’s manufacturing processes at all levels,” according to the report that evaluated the monitoring of Boeing 737 and 787.

This statement was made in reference to the FAA’s response to the monitoring of Boeing 737 and 787.

There have been a number of studies that have been released over the course of the past several years that have brought attention to complaints regarding the FAA’s regulation of Boeing.

The surveillance of the FAA was criticized by a United States Senate committee that was investigating the culture of Boeing at the end of the previous month. The committee cited papers that were obtained during an ongoing investigation as the basis for their criticism.

A month ago, it was reported that Mike Whitaker, the administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), will be modifying the personal safety management program that the agency uses. He has previously said that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had “too hands off” oversight over the actions of Boeing.

He did something that had never been done before: he forbade Boeing from raising the manufacturing of the 737 Max until the corporation had produced significant enhancements to the product’s quality. This was an action that had never been taken before.

SOURCE: TGN

News

Trudeau Commits $25-Million for Charities in Lebanon, One Allegedly Linked to Terrorism

Published

2 days ago

2024-10-11

Geoff Thomas

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen address the media - VOR Image

Canada is increasing its humanitarian aid package for Lebanon by an additional $15 million, raising the total to $25 million in response to the escalating conflict between Israel and the Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah.

International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen announced that the newly allocated funds will support both Canadian and international aid organizations in delivering essential services such as food, water, emergency health care, and other forms of assistance in Lebanon, although specific distribution details remain to be finalized.

“The impact of this conflict on civilians in Lebanon and beyond is devastating,” Mr. Hussen stated during a press briefing. “Today, Canada has announced a commitment of $25 million to bolster humanitarian efforts aimed at aiding the most vulnerable civilians in Lebanon.”

The recent announcement of $15 million in new funding adds to the $10 million in aid previously disclosed by Mr. Hussen at the end of September.

Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen announces additional $15 Million in Aid for Lebanon - Video Screenshot

Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen announces additional $15 Million in Aid for Lebanon – CBC Image

He stated that $6 million of the previously announced funds will be allocated to both the Red Cross and the Humanitarian Coalition, which comprises 11 charities, to match up to $3 million each in donations received for their respective Lebanon aid initiatives.

His commitment to the Humanitarian Coalition persists even in light of allegations against one of its member charities, Islamic Relief, which is accused of funding Hamas and maintaining connections to the Muslim Brotherhood. In 2014, the United Arab Emirates classified Islamic Relief as a terrorist organisation.

Mr. Hussen reported that over 2,000 individuals have lost their lives in Lebanon, including two Canadians, with thousands more suffering injuries. The ongoing conflict has exerted considerable strain on the humanitarian organizations operating in the region.

He emphasized the urgent need for food, medicine, shelter materials, and emergency health care in Lebanon.

Melanie Joly, Canada’s foreign affairs minister, speaks during a news conference in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, – VOR Image

On Wednesday, Global Affairs Canada announced that it has successfully assisted nearly 1,050 Canadians, permanent residents, and their immediate family members in departing from Lebanon. It reports that it has also assisted approximately 250 individuals from various countries in departing Lebanon.

The agency reports a decline in new requests for information on departure options, now receiving fewer than 100 each day. All eligible travellers have been provided with departure opportunities, have already departed, or are scheduled to leave in the upcoming days.

According to Global Affairs Canada, a total of 205 individuals departed from Lebanon on Monday and Tuesday.

As of October 8, over 25,000 Canadians were officially registered in Lebanon; however, officials indicated that the actual figure could be greater, as registration is not mandatory. Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly has indicated that there are approximately 45,000 Canadians currently in the country.

On Wednesday, Mr. Hussen once again urged Canadians to evacuate Lebanon. A representative for Immigration Minister Marc Miller stated that the current priority is assisting Canadian citizens and permanent residents, along with their spouses and children, in obtaining the necessary travel documents.

“Additionally, we are focusing on the processing of specific categories of family class permanent resident applications,” stated spokeswoman Renee Proctor in an e-mailed statement.